Black Friday – smoke and mirrors?

As we all know, Black Friday is a US-imported retail event designed to create a pre- Christmas sales “spike”. Some say it genuinely increases overall sales during the 6 weeks to Christmas, others say it just “moves the same amount of money around”.

And then some are doing it simply because everyone else is?

And some have publically abstained saying it is all a con!

Anyway, some interesting stories in the press this week including……

The fact that many retailers are now starting the event early and making it a 14 day event

The growing consumer awareness that the deals for the event may not be all they seem……

“Which?” consumer group have reported that 60% of the specials Black Friday deals it surveyed were the same price or cheaper in the weeks prior to the event.

Some retailers have covered this aspect with messaging saying that “this does not exclude these products from other sales or promotional activity at other times of the year”.

So….where is MI in all of this?

We would like to collate thoughts from the industry as to the value of Black Friday this year. If you are happy (and in total confidence), please email alice@mia.org.uk with any thoughts, ideas, sales stats and we will let you know what the industry feeling is?